Coal
by Tamnation
Summary: Things don't always turn out to be as funny as Tony thinks they will. For the Feelstide prompt: Someone gets coal in their stocking. CLINT/COULSON


Title: Coal

Pairing: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson

Word Count: 1549

AN: Written for the feelstide prompt #57: "Someone gets coal in their stocking". This is my first time writing from Tony's point of view, so fingers crossed it's alright.

Disclaimer: The Avengers belong to Marvel, I just play in their playground.

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"Tell me why, and maybe I won't taze you."

The Avengers shuffled their feet where they stood awkwardly just outside the lift doors. They were in the small sitting area that adjoined the rest of Phil and Clint's rooms. Phil was sitting in one of the big, purple, cushy armchairs that Clint had insisted on and was wearing a poorly knit Christmas sweater with what Tony was assuming was meant to be a reindeer on the front.

And yet, he looked more intimidating and angry than he ever had at SHIELD or even in the field.

"Come on, Phil. It was supposed to be funny," Tony said, stopping himself from adding the half formed 'and he deserved it' because the only thing that would have done would be to make Phil angrier. Clint had been nothing but trouble for the past few weeks, like a hyperactive child getting in everyone's face about the holidays. It had been getting on everyone's nerves, and when asked Phil had simply said to wait it out, an indulgent smile on his face.

Two days earlier, Tony had even said something about to Clint. He'd caught him hanging upside down from the kitchen ceiling and stealing Bruce's cookies off of the cooling racks. Clint hadn't even had the grace to look guilty, just smirked at him and said: "Lighten up, man. It's the holidays."

"Don't you know, Barton? If you're not good, Santa won't come," Tony had snapped irritably. Sure he was all for letting go and enjoying yourself every now and again, but that had been Clint's justification for everything since halfway through November. Enough was enough.

"Nah, Santa loves me," Clint had replied flippantly, stealing one last cookie and disappearing up into the vents. That was when the whole, seemingly harmless idea had occurred to Tony, and the others had been all too happy to go along with it. Jeez, even Steve had been on board, which was a clear sign that Clint needed to be knocked down a couple of pegs for the good of everyone.

So before this morning, it had been very clear to Tony that Clint had deserved it. A little innocent fun, they'd joke about it and maybe Clint would apologise and they'd give him back his presents. Or so Tony had thought.

Clint had bounced into the lounge room at 8am with an exuberant "Merry Christmas!" while the rest of them were still groaning into their coffee cups. The huge, cocky smile of his had been firmly in place as he'd taken in the gigantic pile of presents under the tree before his eyes had flicked to where each Avenger had a stocking pinned to the wall. He'd faltered, clearly taking into account everyone else's overflowing stockings and the fact that his own held only one lump, right at the bottom.

"Hey, cool. Stockings," he still said, although the cheer seemed slightly more forced as he bounded over. Tony had been watching Clint intently, waiting for the fallout from the prank, so he almost missed the way Phil was frowning at the stocking. Clint had his stocking off the wall quickly, reaching down into it, still with that damned smirk on his face. "Must be something really cool."

Tony had grinned when he finally pulled out the lump of solid coal that Natasha had found the day before. The rest of the team had been smiling too, waiting for Clint to brush it aside like he always did, or demand to know where his presents were, and then they would have a good laugh at the archers expense and get on with Christmas.

Except Clint hadn't laughed. He hadn't said anything, just stared at the chunk of coal in his hand as the sudden silence stretched awkwardly. Hurt and disappointment and a dozen other emotions Tony couldn't place had brought all of Clint's enthusiasm crashing to the ground. He'd looked at the team, obviously spotting their gleeful expressions. And then he'd bolted, before any of them could apologise or explain.

"Well, that didn't go to plan," Bruce had said to murmured assent, before Phil had stood abruptly.

"My floor, one hour, and someone had better be able to explain all of this." The tone had been tightly controlled, only hinting at the brittle anger underneath the agent's collected exterior, before he had headed towards the elevator to chase after his boyfriend.

Even Tony couldn't say that Clint deserved what had happened that morning. He may not know why it happened, but no one should be made to feel like that, particularly not on Christmas. He didn't need Phil's disapproving stare to tell him that he'd done something wrong.

"We're very sorry, sir. It's just with the way he's been acting…" Steve started earnestly, but Phil cut him off.

"Am I right in assuming you were all in on this?" Phil's voice was hard as ice, and Tony had to do his best not to flinch. The team nod their heads, Bruce ducking his head like a naughty schoolboy while Thor just looked absolutely mortified. "You've hurt one of your team mates and damaged the very tentative trust he has extended to you. All because he was a little over enthusiastic at the idea of having his first proper Christmas with a family?"

"We didn't know," Natasha said quietly and Phil glared at her.

"You, Agent Romanoff, should know better than anyone that Clint does not trust easily. It is a privilege, that he has let you in like he has, and you should all be ashamed of the way you abused that trust today. And you chose Christmas of all days to do it..." Tony watched Phil with a strange fascination, the guilt churning at his insides, because somehow, they have made Agent Coulson lose his calm. The man had faced down demi-gods and megalomaniacs and Nick Fury after finding out that his boyfriend had been told he was dead for two months, and Tony had never before seen him start in on a full-blown angry rant. It was kind of frightening to watch.

"Phil." The voice was soft and quiet, completely out of character and yet still undeniably Clint's, as the archer appeared in the far doorway. Phil stopped talking, but he didn't stop glaring at the team. Somehow, Tony knew that even if Clint let the matter drop, Phil would make sure they paid for it somehow.

Clint moved further into the room, until he was stood just behind Phil's chair, his hand resting on the other man's shoulder. His eyes slowly trailed over the rest of them, appraising them in a way that made Tony's stomach churn, because this wasn't Clint, not really. This was Agent Barton, walls up and defensive in a way that he'd never been around Tony.

"My friend, we are sorry if our jest has wounded you. We have brought with us the gifts which are rightfully yours and wish to ask your forgiveness." Thor offered the bag of stocking fillers that they'd removed the night before to Clint, who warily took it and placed it behind him, nudging it out of sight and behind the chair with one foot.

"We really are sorry, Clint," Natasha said again and Clint nodded slowly, before running a hand through his hair and sighing.

"Yeah, I know. I overreacted. It's fine."

It really wasn't. The defensive attitude was still there, and he still had as many issues and insecurities as the rest of them and Tony couldn't believe in hindsight that this had ever looked like a good idea. But there was nothing really to add and the silence lapsed uncomfortably. Tony hated silence.

"Great! Now everyone's apologised and we're all getting along again. Fantastic. Let's just put this down to another one of those stupid things we don't talk about and go back to Christmas. I mean, it's almost noon and no one's opened a single present yet. It's a holiday travesty."

Everyone stared at him. For a moment, Tony wondered if he'd somehow managed to make the already messed up situation, worse. But then Clint let out a quiet chuckle, a hint of the brilliant smile that was there that morning, and Tony felt the wash of relief as the tension broke. It might take a while, but things would get back to normal.

Christmas continued, albeit slightly more sedately than originally planned. Presents were opened, food was eaten and a good time was had by all. Clint was quieter than normal and he stuck close to Phil, and he seemed to be inordinately fond of shooting the team with the nerf gun he'd received from Steve, but by the end of the night he seemed to have opened up again. He insisted they watch some god-awful Christmas movie and seemed completely unfazed by the good-natured groans, curling up against Phil on the couch, with Natasha's head resting on his knee.

Tony wasn't really paying too much attention to the film, thinking instead about how fast he could make a couple of prototypes for the localised EMP arrowheads Clint had been asking for. First thing the next morning, he'd be able to whip up some sketches, but for now he'd relax and enjoy Christmas with the rest of his team.

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AN: Thanks for reading :) Please Review!


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